"I'd back us against anyone"

Nigel Adkins believes that the Royals have not been too disrupted by the international break, ahead of Saturday's trip to play-off rivals Brighton & Hove Albion.

The boss expects our opponents to opt for a passing style of football this weekend, and speaking to Reading FC Player, Adkins spoke of the need to battle for possession of the ball.

"We wished the players that went away well, and they'll join up with us on Friday. But the lads that have been here have trained really well, the attitude and the quality from the players was top drawer.

"There's a good focus - we've obviously had to get over the situation from the weekend where we didn't win the Yeovil game.

"They play football the right way, in my opinion. If you look at the centre back Matthew Upson - he's passed the ball more than any player in the division. That underlines the way they go and play.

"We've got to make sure we don't give the ball away cheaply, because there will probably be spells where we don't have the ball."

The manager added that the Royals need to hold their nerve, as a tough block of fixtures must be dealt with before the Sky Bet Championship finishing line is in sight.

"We need to keep a positivity about ourselves," he said. "We go into a massive week now with the Brighton and Leeds away games, and then obviously Derby County at home. Belief has to remain strong, because that's important.

"We go into a run of games which is going to be very exciting for everyone - we just need to keep our nerve.

"Regardless of who we play, it's a points total we need to to reach the play-offs places, there's 13 league games left and potentially three more with the play-offs. If we get into those positions, I'd back us against anybody.

"We have an opportunity. The important thing now is that everybody, especially the supporters, wants Reading Football Club to do well. We need to be positive, to stick with everybody, to get right behind the players, and have that positive supporting energy to help the players win games of football."

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